This invention relates to base panels for use with building blocks.
Nurseries, kindergarten classrooms, and the like often have building blocks for the, children to play with. Generally H-shaped blocks such as are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,535 to Larws are often used in these classrooms. The H-shaped building blocks of the '535 patent work well with the panel shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,904, also to Larws. The Larws panel is a generally square panel with a plurality of square openings forming a grid pattern. The H-shaped blocks are received in the panel openings to be supported by the panel. However, when the blocks of the '535 patent are used with the panel of the '904 patent, the geometry of the Larws panel allows the blocks may extend over the panel's edge. This exposes sharp corners and edges on which children may be scratched or otherwise injured.
Other patented structures, of the prior art, showing related devices are disclosed in the patent to Zander, U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,727, in addition to the patent to Lin, U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,091. Other types of building block structures are shown in the patent to Larws, U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,786, while the German patent No. 1,140,500, shows related building block structures. These are examples of known prior art.